Teh Matchups: Week 1To double the blogging efforts at ProFSL, I am focusing on Teh Matchup (spelled incorrectly for 10 years now, a bit of a running joke) of the Week from my 10th year, 12-team H2H (yardage based) money league on Yahoo. I will break down the players that one could start or bench, throw the uusal humor in there, and make a prediction. I will have the initial version here that contains records as well as my predictions of the other matchups and then repost it at ProFSL. Think of the Yahoo blogs in the F&F leagues - The Gridiron will be just that for ProFSL some day.
First off, congratulations to Chuck who won the Turbo Bowl last year. He is the first one to ever win two Turbo Bowls in this league and will try to be the first person to win two in a row. I want to look past my 9-17 record over the past two years and have a big season. After all, I am due to win it all. I have a unique pattern that I want to keep up int his league. Kitna Allstars were 10-2 & 3rd place in 2002, 13-15 in 2003-04, 12-4 & Champ in 2005, 12-16 in 06-07, 10-5 & 3rd place in 2008, and then 9-17 over past two years. Enough about me and more on Teh Matchup of the Week - which in order to prevent subjective bias, it never features me.
TEH MATCHUP OF THE WEEKLeo's Lumpers (0-0) vs. big schaeff (0-0)Dizzy (Leo's Lumpers) and Bryan (big schaeff) combine for 136 wins over TG's history. Bryan has walked away with the accodales and better record against Diz during this time by a 9-7 margin (.438). Every year in The Gridiron is different as it is a redraft, yardage based league. The Lumpers feature the following team in Week 1.
QB Ben Roethlisberger
WR Chad Ochocinco
WR Mike Sims-Walker
WR Joshua Cribbs
RB Rashard Mendenhall
RB Michael Turner
TE Brandon Pettigrew
K Stephen Gostkowski
DEF Philadelphia
Bench considerations: WR Mike Thomas
, QB Jay Cutler
Steelers-Ravens are always close, but not necessarily defensive battles. Big Ben plays alrigth in these games. In 10 contests against the Ravens, he and the Steelers won 7 times, and Ben averaged 210 yards in the air with 1.6 TD and 1.1 INT. The other option is Jay Cutler (no Matt Leinart or Vince Young); he has averaged 258 yards in the air with 1.5 TD and 0.5 INT in two contests (1-1) against the Dirty Birds. More importantly, it is a home game for Cutler's Bears (they may not want to see him after last year's NFC Championship game debacle) and the QB is much better at home than on the road in his career. Cutler also performs the best in September (94.1 QB rating), so the stats give an edge to Diz's bench option.
The WRs aren't flashy, but can get the job done. The Gridiron gives 1 pt per 20 yards returning, so Cribbs usually comes with a lot of bonus points. Despite the NFL's new rules, the Cincinnati Bungals will be punting plenty netting extra opportunities for Cribbs in the return game.
Diz's RB starters are no brainers (Thomas Jones and Mark Ingram on the bench) and are featured in the same games as his QBs. I wouldn't be surprised if Diz received half of his points from his RB tandem.
Pettigrew, Gostkowski, and the Eagles are all top tier plays at their positions this week rounding out a decent Week 1 lineup for the Lumpers. Meanwhile, his rival is starting a team that Yahoo predicts will win by 13 points.
QB Matt Ryan
WR Miles Austin
WR Santonio Holmes
WR Austin Collie
RB Adrian Peterson
RB LaGaerrette Blount :TAM:
TE Kellen Winslow :TAM:
K Nick Folk
DEF New York
Bench considerations: WR Sidney Rice
, RB Cedric Benson
, RB Joseph Addai
, RB Reggie Bush
, WR Steve Smith
, QB Kyle Orton
Matt Ryan is being started by 74% of Yahoo right now (12% for Orton), so the decision seems fairly straight forward. Ryan will likely pick apart the Bears for 200+ yards, 2-3 TD, and perhaps throw a pick.
Bryan's WR options are set by injuries and new starters. Sidney Rice has a bum shoulder, Steve Smith (CAR) has a rookie QB throwing to him, and Austin Collie wins the Week 1 starting job despite not having Peyton Manning behind center in Indy. What this team makes up for in questionable depth is star players. Despite the presence of Revis Island on the other side of the trenches, Miles Austin is a no brainer as he and Dallas look to bounce back from last season. Santonio Holmes should find plenty of running room as the Jets use him and Plax to pick apart a suspect Cowboys secondary.
Star power is where it's at for big schaeff's running game. Adrian Peterson, my preseason #1 player, will be carrying the rock all day in South Cali. Regardless of McNabb and the Vikings' performance, AP will be given plenty of reps. I am not sold on Blount, but an injured Benson, a questionable Saints offense, and unknowns in South Beach force Bryan's hand. He goes with the healthiest 1000-yard back he has. Personally, I would live with letting Addai run. The Texans-D is a sleeper pick this week, but their D is under a bit of a makeover and the Colts will lean heavily toward the run with Penn State alum Kerry Collins under center.
The rest of Bryan's team features average plays. The Giants-D could have an above average fantasy performance with the not so sexy Rexy Redskins as their Week 1 victim. Then again, we have seen wild results in Week One.
Diz should start Cutler, but even with the Vanderbilt alum under center, I don't think his team can compete with what Bryan's top guys bring to the table. I see the majority of big schaeff's production coming from Ryan, Austin, Holmes, and AP. Everything after that is a bonus and is enough to give him the win.
VERDICT: Bryan 112 - Diz 103
In other Gridiron matchups...
Mudpuckers (0-0) 94-87 over Terrible Towels (0-0) - Turbo Bowl champion Mudpuckers start a favorite of mine in Matt Stafford.
Parking Lot Beatdown (0-0) 103-79 over Charros (0-0) - Despite Eric's (PLB) 3-8 record against Demo (Charros), his team has too many weapons for Charros to handle with Vick, DeSean Jackson, Bowe, Forte, Hillis, and company.
The Biggest Winner (0-0) 95-93 over Forte-YearOld Virgin (0-0) - A lot of suspect players in this matchup due to injuries. TBW and Megatron get the win.
Philly Girl (0-0) 115-84 over Brett Favres 8 Ball (0-0) - Could be biggest blowout of the week as battle of the ladies feature's Steph's #1 team out of the draft (Rodgers, Foster, and Charles).
Demo tries to avoid eight loss in a row dating back to last season; 0-7 streak is already second worst in TG history.
